Stable mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons and secondary alcohols



Patented June :23, 1931 UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE MATTHEW D. MANN, .13., F ROSELLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To STANDARD OIL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, A ooRPonATIoN or DELAWARE No Drawing.

STABLE MIXTURE OF PETROLEUM HYDROCABBON S AND SECONDARY ALCOHOLS This invention relates to a composition of matter consisting of a stable mixture of petroleum hydrocarbon with one or more secondary alcohols, the mixture being obtained without the addition of any blending means other thanthat supplied by the secondary alcohol itself. The invention will be fully understood from the following description.

The properties or action of hydrocarbons for some uses are susceptible of modification and improvement by admixture of other components. In particular I have found that secondary alcohols are exceptionally valuable as modifying agents. These alcohols, hitherto very little known as'to characteristics, when properly employed with liquid hydrocarbons found in petroleum, afford a range of new and useful solvents. paint and varnish thinners, cleaning and degreasing agents, motor fuels, eic.

Various of the secondary alcohols (singly or mixed) may be employed, depending upon the boiling point limitations and particular use in view, and similarly with the petroleum hydrocarbons. For some combinations the lower. secondary alcohols should be espe cially dehydrated; in the case of secondary butyl and secondary amyl alcohols this may be simply accomplished by mixing the alco-- hol with a hydrocarbon, such as gasoline, and allowing a layer separation to occur, and then drawing-off the alcohol and gasoline from the aqueous layer; but even this is unnecessary with the higher members. The extent to which the dehydration of the alcohol is carried either by the method as outlined or by any other desirable process depends upon the use to be made of the products. For. most purposes, especially in the case of the lower secondary alcohols such as isopropyl and secondary butyl alcohols, a dehydration sufficient to produce a 95-98% alcohol is sufficient, but in some cases the dehydration should be carried out to produce a substantially anhydrous alcohol. 1

As an example, I may refer to secondary butyl alcohol and petroleum hydrocarbons of the gasoline range. The secondary butyl alcohol, substantially free from water preliminarily if desired, or a mixture of second- Application filed July 9, 1929. Serial No. 377,078.

may be employed, I prefer gasoline on account ofits general availability and cheapness. Howeyer, the principle of the invent1on 1s applicable to kerosene and heavier distillate oils derived from petroleum.

lVhile in describing my invention I have referred to specific details, it will be understood that these are illustrative and in no sense limitative'. On the contrary the invention is to be regarded as limitedonly as defined in the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all inherent novelty as broadly as the prior art permits.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Ser. N o. 566,881, filed June 8, 1922, now Patented 1,774,180, granted Aug. 26,1930.

I claim:

' 1. A composition of matter consisting of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon andsecondary alcohol.

2. A composition of matter consisting of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon and secondary alcohol containing between 3 and 6 carbon atoms in the molecule.

3. A composition of matter consisting of gasoline and secondary alcohol.

4. A composition of matter consisting of gasoline and secondary alcohol containing between 3 and 6 carbon atoms in the molecule.

MATTHEW D. MANN, JR. 

